Shock finding: Just how much salt is actually in our water?
You are advised NOT to drink the water.
A SAMPLE of Monday’s ‘salty’ drinking water was tested by an independent laboratory owned by a Uvongo resident and this analysis yielded very interesting results.
The salinity of of our tap water is currently the same as a mixture of 44 parts sea water to 56 parts fresh water.
The World Heath Organisation laid down guidelines for drinking water in 1996. According to these guidelines, there is a limit to the amount of Total Dissolved Solids, or TDS, permitted in drinking water.
WHO deems a reading of 1200 to be ‘unacceptable’ and according to the laboratory analysis, the TDS of our tap water is currently 15400 ppm. This exceeds the maximum allowed by the WHO by a factor of about 13.
The same concerned citizen asked how Ugu could accidentally allow sea water to be pumped into our drinking water. This, he said, raised the question of what other possible contaminants – for example sewage – are finding their way into our drinking water.
“I think it is Ugu’s duty to tell the public exactly what this water contains,” he said. “And what the possible effects of drinking this salty water are.”
At the moment, car washes are closed and you are advised not to drink the water, fill up your fish tanks or allow your pets to drink it.
